Executive Assistant to the Director (Exempt)

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland’s Planning & Building Department?

Joining the Planning and Building Department (PBD) as an Executive Assistant gives you the opportunity to be at the center of the work that keeps the organization moving. This role goes far beyond traditional administrative support. You will serve as a trusted partner to department leadership, help coordinate priorities, and play a key role in ensuring that critical work is carried out effectively and efficiently.

As an Executive Assistant, you will experience a wide variety of responsibilities and work with people at all levels throughout the City of Oakland. You will gain exposure to department-wide initiatives, organizational priorities, and important decision-making processes, all while building strong relationships with leadership, employees, other City departments, elected officials, community partners, and external stakeholders.

Most importantly, this role is ideal for someone who wants to make a meaningful impact. If you are organized, proactive, adaptable, resourceful, and take pride in being someone others can depend on, the Executive Assistant position offers the chance to contribute significantly to the department’s success while developing a broad understanding of City operations and growing professionally.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Attentive. You stay engaged and aware of department activities, priorities, and emerging needs.
• Adaptable. You respond effectively to changing priorities and circumstances, and you are committed to finding solutions to accomplish assigned responsibilities.
• Reliable. You consistently follow through on commitments and can be counted on to respond and provide support when needed.
• Organized. You manage multiple tasks, projects, deadlines, and competing priorities effectively while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Proactive. You anticipate needs, identify potential issues, and take initiative to address matters before they escalate.
• Knowledgeable. You demonstrate a strong understanding of departmental functions, processes, and subject-matter areas.
• Confidentiality-focused. You handle sensitive information discreetly and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Self-directed. You work independently in a fast-paced environment and stay productive under shifting demands.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Managing the executive’s calendar, appointments, meetings, priorities, and day-to-day administrative needs.
• Coordinating complex schedules, resolving conflicts, prioritizing competing requests, and ensuring the executive is prepared for upcoming commitments.
• Scheduling meetings, developing agendas, preparing materials, coordinating participants, taking or distributing notes, and tracking follow-up items.
• Organizing sensitive documents, reports, records, and correspondence while ensuring information is accessible and appropriately handled.
• Handling personnel, operational, financial, legal, and other sensitive information with a high degree of confidentiality and sound judgment.
• Drafting, proofreading, formatting, and coordinating reports, memoranda, presentations, correspondence, and other executive-level materials.
• Monitoring outstanding matters and ensuring commitments made by the executive or assigned to staff are followed through, including timely responses to requests from the executive or customers. Managing the department’s council agenda process.

Executive Assistant to the Director

Working for the City of Oakland!

A few reasons you might love this job:

• The role offers variety, bringing new priorities, challenges, people, and projects that keep the work engaging.
• The position provides opportunities to wo…